Unit Four: Societal Impacts

Essential Question: How does society influence me?Stylistic focus: Organization DESCRIPTION: In the previous unit, students were asked to examine how society creates environments that affect self-perception. In this seven-week unit, students will more closely examine the complexity of society. Students will engage in discussions about social constructs and determine how these constructs positively and negatively affect those within society. Students will begin by reading The Bluest Eye and will identify how social norms pressure individuals to look, think, act, and speak according social law. As students engage in close readings of the text, they will identify the both overt and nuanced responses of the characters in relation to societal pressure and then determine the psychological effects. While some characters are defeated by society, the goal of the unit is for students to identify how, if at all, individuals can challenge and overcome the status quo. Next, students will read Death of A Salesman. In this play, students will quickly see how those pander to the status quo quickly lose himself or herself. Further, students will discuss how those who lack authenticity can infect those around them and create darkness for others. At this point, students will be expected to tie themes discussed in this text to other texts that have been read throughout the year.